


Calm

by avianscribe



Series: Collection of Prompts [13]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Character Study, Dead People, Episode Prompto Spoilers, Gen, Gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29491707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avianscribe/pseuds/avianscribe
Summary: Ardyn has no reason to fret. He's winning, after all.
Series: Collection of Prompts [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1432558
Comments: 16
Kudos: 31





	Calm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hibiren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibiren/gifts).



> I'm writing a set of palate cleansers from prompts between projects! This request from hibiren was "Calm", with the character Ardyn.

Explosions echoed in the depths of the Magitek Production Facility, like music. Ardyn picked his way through rows of containment tubes, shattered glass crackling under his boots. A handful of bodies remained, lingering remnants that died in situ, with no living essence remaining to daemonify when Besithia had finally initiated the process to feed his monster machines. 

The poor souls.

Deep within the facility, the rumbles of a sleeping giant waking shook the building. So. Besithia had done it at last. He had completed his  _ magnum opus, _ his crowning achievement. Ardyn whistled cheerfully, knowing that the project’s completion meant Besithia’s end.

Somewhere, the little companion of the Chosen King was wandering about, wearing Besithia’s younger face. 

That had been a shock to see, on the pier at Galdin Quay… and it felt like an invitation to toy with the lad. There would still be time, as long as the boy could survive facing the Immortalis.

The building shuddered, and somewhere, something made a metallic screeching sound. 

“That might be my cue,” Ardyn said to himself.

He made his way back to the master control room -- a round affair, with more of Besithia’s monstrous machinery -- and there, he found Besithia himself. What was left of him, anyway: only his empty clothes and armor. 

“Oh dear,” Ardyn tutted. “I offer such a fine opportunity for a family reunion, and  _ this _ is what you do. What a shame.” He toed the armor, and it clattered as it fell apart. Ardyn felt a chuckle deep in his chest. 

This was what Besithia had wanted, after all… and Ardyn was only too eager to help him towards his goal; a reward for his years of “hospitality”, after freeing Ardyn from the bowels of Angelgard. 

Ardyn stepped over the remains of his “benefactor” where they lay, and followed the trail of corpses to the hangar where, if he wasn’t mistaken, his young guest was making a bold escape. Ardyn whistled as he went, confident that his prey could not escape his grasp. Not here. 

The hangar’s steel rafters shuddered, and Ardyn sidestepped into shadow to escape the collapse as the facility’s structural integrity failed under the flailing of Besithia’s monstrous machine. Though his prey had the advantage of speed, it meant nothing to Ardyn; one of the benefits of the condition the so-called-benevolent Astrals had bestowed upon him. In a blink, he re-emerged on the crest of a rise, with an easy view of the immense Immortalis in its pursuit of a tiny speck, two souls descending at break-neck speed down the slope of the mountain. 

He hummed to himself as he watched. It didn’t matter who won here; Ardyn was the true victor. If Besithia’s monstrosity proved effective, it was free to wreak havoc upon Gralea and to challenge the young King when he arrived. If, however, Besithia’s clone made it through, well… The lad was tenacious, but a lone boy traveling through these harsh lands? So many things could happen. So many.

So when the lad’s tenacity won the day, Ardyn applauded. “Good show, lad,” he murmured to himself. 

He let the boy part ways with the mercenary; no need getting  _ her _ involved, after all. Ardyn only needed the boy with Besithia’s face and the Chosen King’s heart to put paid to his plan. He would draw the Chosen King to the Crystal; let him receive the power in fulfillment of the prophecy, and then… 

Then Ardyn would see his revenge on Somnus’s line at last.

So the blonde boy buzzed away on the snowmobile, making tracks towards Gralea, and Ardyn sauntered in his wake, whistling merrily. 

All was well, after all.


End file.
